Mon Choisy beach is currently under disoute between the Beach Authority, some leaseholdes or licenceholders, traders and the community.

The short story seems to be that new public toilets were built at Mon Choisy beach. A firm has been given licences or approval from one authority to turn the old toilets into a restaurant and other facilities (note the old toilets are not being torn down, just converted). The beach traders (stalls) are objecting as it takes from their livelihood. The local council had originally not approved the development and from reading the local papers in Mauritius (we all know how reliable they can be from time to time) other Departments had not approved the development. Apparently a development proposal has now been lodged with the local council by the Beach Authority (you'd think the developer would be the applicant wouldn't you). There is allegation of preferential treatment and lack of tranparent process by some opposing the development.

This Sunday (27th June) there is apparently going to be a public protest at the beach against the development.

I must admit that a restaurant on the beach is not a bad idea for tourists. I would however preferred the same walls and flooring that has served as a toilet for as long as I can recall being torn down and new structure built. The bricks used in the original building are the usual slightly porous concrete ones and no amount of covering will, in my opinion, remove the inground toilet use enough to encourage me to eat there in the future.

There has been debate that there were tenders called for the development. If there was a tender processs surely the Beach Authority should publicly announce when the tenders were advertised, confirm that they were public tenders, advise how many bidders there were and confirm the highest bidder was the winner or provide reason why another lower tender was preferred. This is openness and accountability and is the least the public deserve when their public beach is being "sold off". It would also probably go a long way to reducing the number of protesters. In the absence of this information being made public however I can only assume the protests are warranted and wish them all the best for Sunday.